The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group works to help people whose rights have been violated and investigates cases involving such abuse, as well as assessing the overall human rights situation in Ukraine. The Group also seeks to develop awareness of human rights issues through public events and its various publications

The Committee of Voters of Ukraine [CVU] has published the results of a public opinion survey which shows clearly that a majority of Kyiv residents want local elections now. There has been no Mayor of Kyiv for over a year, and the constitutionally fixed term of office for council members came to an end earlier this year. Attempts to get parliament to set a date for new elections have however been stymied by the ruling Party of the Regions.

At a press conference on 19 September CVU presented a survey which it asked the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology to carry out. CVU Head Oleksandr Chernenko reported that this survey showed that 70% of Kyiv residents knew that the Kyiv city authorities’ term of office had ended on 2 June. Over 60% believe that the elections should be held without delay, in 2013.

A fairly large percentage of respondents expressed readiness to vote: 53% said that they would definitely vote; 28% that they would probably do so. Oleksandr Chernenko says that this is a fairly high estimate, especially given that Kyiv traditionally has one of the lowest turnouts in the country.

“Regardless of politicians’ and parties’ ratings, the survey showed that the citizens of Kyiv want to elect their legitimate authorities and now. Therefore those who are presently postponing the elections in Kyiv with the aim of improving their rating by 2015 should understand that with every day of putting the elections in the capital off, they only lose popularity.”